Cowboys Notebook: Moore to retire, not join Dallas

Updated 11:38 pm, Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Former Jets guard Brandon Moore decided to retire instead of joining the Cowboys, who have an offensive line depleted by injuries. New York declined to re-sign him in the offseason.

Former Jets guard Brandon Moore decided to retire instead of joining the Cowboys, who have an offensive line depleted by injuries. New York declined to re-sign him in the offseason.

Photo: Al Pereira / New York Jets/Getty Images

Cowboys Notebook: Moore to retire, not join Dallas

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Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said the club respects veteran guard Brandon Moore's decision to retire rather than accept the one-year contract the team offered him.

Dallas reached a verbal agreement with the free agent and 2011 Pro Bowler on Tuesday. But Moore informed the team Wednesday he wanted to stay with his family rather than play football.

“We had conversations with him, and we thought he might come in and help our team out,” Garrett said at a news conference in Oxnard, Calif. “The conversations were way down the road, and we thought we were close to an agreement.

“... Football is one of those games, if you are not completely into it, it's a bad game to play.”

The offensive line is depleted by injuries. Left guard Nate Livings could miss the rest of the preseason after undergoing knee surgery last week, and right guard Mackenzy Bernadeau is behind after missing the first two weeks of camp with a hamstring injury.

Garrett was asked if the team continues to have interest in six-time Pro Bowl guard Brian Waters, who was out of the NFL last season after starting in 2011 for New England. Although Garrett gushed about the 36-year-old Waters, he pointed out there's a big question mark surrounding the 13-year veteran from North Texas.